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ABRAHAM V. W. VAN VEGHTEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 78,702, cZateUZ June 9, 1868.

IMPROVED HEAD AND SHOULDER-REST.

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TO ALL WHOM -IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM V. WV. kVAN VECHTEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Head and Shoulder-Rest; and I do hereby declare the following tovbe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which drawing- Figure 1 represents my invention as it appears when applied in use.

'Figure 2 is an elevation which shows the front side thereof.

This invention consists in a combined head and shoulder-rest7 which is composed of a main supportingstrap, which branches ofi'in two adjustable Suspenders, to which is attached an adjustable head-rest, in s'ueh a manner that by suspending. the main strap from the ceiling or s'ide ot` aroom, over a bed or chair, or from the root` or side of a railroad-carpover a car-seat, the occupant of said bed, chair, or seat is enabled to support'his, or her body and his or her head in a. convenient position, and to change-position at will` A represents the main strap, the length of which -is adjustable by a buckle, or other suitable means, and which is connected to a 'hook or looped cord, C, of any suitable construction', by preference-a snap-hook, which can be conveniently introduced and fastened to an eye-bolt or staple in tbe ceiling or side of a room, or inthe v rootl or side of a. car, or to the top of a higlrbacked chair, or frame, or bed. The main strap A branches o vin two suspendingl'straps, B B, the lower ends of which are provided with snap-hooks, F, which can be made to catch into rings a, secured to short branch-straps which connect to the straps B B, by buckles or other suitable means, as clearlyshown in fig. 2 of the drawing.. By securing the hooks F in the rings` a, loops D arel formed, and by adjusting the straps up or down, these loops can beadjusted higher-or lower; to suit eircumstances, and the sizeof persons.

p E is the'headaest, which is adjustable up and down, on the branch-straps B, by loops or other suitable means, as shown in iig. l of the drawing. This head and shoulderurest may be madesimply of a piece of leather, of convenient size, or it may be of any other suitable material, and cushioned it` desired.

` The operation is as follows: After the strap A has. been suspended from the ceiling or side of a room, over a bed or chair, or from the roof or side of a railroad-car, or other vehicle, over a seat, the loops D and the headrestE are adjusted to suit the stature of the occupant ot' said bed, chair, lor seat, and a convenient rest is obtained for the shoulders and for the head, in a sitting or* partly reclining position, as shown in iig. 1 of the. drawing. This device is applicable for sick-rooms or hospitals, and particularly for railroad-cars and other vehicles, and when it is not to be used it een bestowed away in a small compass, so that every traveller can Vcarry the saine without trouble'. For the loops D D may be substituted hooks of wood, metal, or other suitableAA hard substance, hooked in rings e a, and the suspendirig-sti-aps B B may then be terminated a few inches below the buckles or the short branch-straps 6 b.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, i's- A head and shoulderrest, composed et' the mainstrnp A, branches B, loops D, and head-rest E, all as shown and described.

A. V. W. VAN VECHTEN. Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. Knsrnnnonn. 

